Electric fire alarm and extinguisher



(No Model.)

0. A. EVANS.

ELECTRIC FIRE ALARM AND EXTINGUISH-BR'..

No. 269,273. Patented Dec.19, 1882.

WITNESSES INVENTOR/ M Afrozvgy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE A. EVANS, OF UPLAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC FIRE ALARM AND EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 269,273, dated December19, 1882,

I Application filed September 9, 1881. Renewed May 13, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLARENCE A. EVANS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Upland, in the county ofDelaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Fire Alarms and Extinguishers; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, reference being had to theaccompanyingdrawing, which formspart of this specification, and which is a diagram illustrating myimprovements.

My invention has for its object to provide a fire alarm and extinguisherfor dwellings,

stores, and other structures.

Myimprovements consistin the peculiar construction and combination ofparts hereinafter fully set forth, having reference particularly to thecombination, with an electric battery, an electric bell, andelectrically-actuated valvemovement in open circuit therewith, ot' acircuit-closer adapted and arranged upon due increase of temperature toclose the circuit first to said bell and subsequently to said Valvemovement, as hereinafter fully set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, A represents a voltaic battery,and B an electric, bell having an electro-magnet, B,in open circuittherewith, said bell being preferably of that kind which will ringcontinuously as soon and as long as circuit with said battery isestablished and maintained.

0 represents a valve in a water-pipe, D. The stem 0 of said valve isprovided with a spring, 0, which, when notlocked or held closed, opensthe valve by raising it and admits water from the pipe D to pass throughthe same. The water so admitted flows into a tank, E, provided with afloat, e, on a lever, E, said lever being connected with another valve,f, in a main supply-pipe, F.

G represents an electro-magnet, and G its armature, which, when themagnet is not energized, serves to hold down the valve-stem c by reasonof the lever c passing under a lug, 0 on said armature, thus at suchtimes keeping said valve closed.

H is a mercury-cup, ofinverted siphon form, having two legs, h and h,respectively, the former being shorter than the latter.

The circuits are as follows: I is a conductor for the outgoing current,which is split or connected to form two branches and i, leading to thebell-magnet B and to the valve-magnet G, respectively. From thebellmagnet there is a return-conductor, L,which enters the mercury-cupat the bottom, as shown. From the upper ends of the two legs of saidmercury-cup proceed two conductors, l 1, one leading to and completingcircuit with the valveactuating magnet G, the other being the return tobattery. When the temperature produced by fire in the apartment wherethe cup H is located causes the mercury in said cup to risesufficiently, the circuit is closed through the short leg h, the currentthen going as indicated by the arrows in full lines, causing the bell tobe rung. It continues ringing for some time, when, if it should fail toattract due attention to effect the extinguishment ofthe fire, themercury will continue to rise and establish circuit'through the longerleg of the cup and close the circuit to the valve-actuating magnet G,such circuit being as indicated by the arrowsindottedlines.Thiscutsoutthebelhas the valve-magnetis in the shorter circuit, whichthe electric current will take by preference. If desired, any amount ofresistance can be placed in the bell-circuit, so as to insure the fullbattery-power going to the valve-magnet G after circuit therewith hasbeen established. Gircuit to the magnet Gr being established, saidmagnet is energized, attracting its armature away from, the stem 0 ofthe valve C. The spring 0 now opens said valve, permitting water to flowinto the tank and raise the float e sufficiently to cause the valvef tobe opened, thus letting on a full head of water to flood the apartmentand extinguish the fire.

I do not wish to confine myself to the particular location of thevarious parts. In occupied tenements the bell is designed to be placedinside the same to give notice to the inmates. Applied to churches,warehouses, or other unoccupied structures or those unprovided withwatchmen, the bell maybe placed outside, so as to sound an alarm thatwill be audible to passers-by or to parties in the neighborhood.

The battery may be employed for a door or burglar alarm usually, so asto avoid the expense of maintaining it alone for the purposes hereinalready described.

In practice the magnet-valve may be quite small, so that slightbattery-power only will be required therefor, its opening letting on asufiicient supp yto open alarger valve through the medium of the float.

What I claim as my invention is as follows:

1. The combination,with an electric battery, of a thermostaticcircuit-maker, an electric bell, and an electrically-actuatedvalvemechanism, said bell and valve mechanism being in open circuits,each of which said circuits communicates with a thermostat common toboth, and which are closed successively by means substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of electric battery A, electric bell B, andelectro-magnet G, armature Gr, having lug c lever 0 spring 0, and

valve 0, with double mercury-cup H, having legs h h, of unequal length,and conductors from said battery and in open circuit with saidmercury-cup, bell, and valve mechanism, respectively, said parts beingarranged substantially as described, whereby a sufficient temperaturewill close the circuits to and operate said bell and valve mechanismsuccessively, as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I- have hereunto set my handthis 31st day of August, 1881.

CLARENCE A. EYANS.

Witnesses:

S. J. VAN S'IAVOREN, JonN W. STEWARD.

